American Z Line AZL SD40-2 coupler height question

Back years ago, I had Michael Hilliard install ditch lights and I think, (so long ago I don't recall) some other lighting effects in my AZL SD40-2. The SD's were fairly recent additions to loco options and Michael ask for someone to allow him to do some custom installation. I agreed to let him rework my loco. This was long before anyone was doing such alterations as a side line and Michael was experimenting.

I never ran my SD very much until recently I have wanted to play with my trains. I've found that the couplers are now very much higher than other locos and I believe it is because of the wiring installation that causes the shell to sit higher on the frame. I'm not sure if you AZL SD owners can discern from these photo what wires might be causing the shell to ride up too high. You can see by the photo with two locos that the SD coupler is too high.

I'm willing to remove the custom wiring even though it will cause me to lose the lighting effects. I'd rather have the loco pulling than sitting idly by because of coupler height issues.

Can anyone tell from these pictures which wires are NOT necessary so that I can remove them to get the proper height for the shell to rest on the frame? I know nothing about how the loco was wired before Michael altered it.
The fact that the wires are black with black goo on them to insulate them doesn't help any.

Maybe someone can post or send me a picture of what a standard unaltered SD looks like with the shell off. I can compare wiring to wiring that way.

Thanks for any advice.

Loren

 

I am no expert, but that I am quite certain that back tab is your culprit. Check the AZL page on Do it yourself Z http://www.zscale.org/reviews/americanz.html
There is an old brass AZL mechanism and I don't see that tab.

 

Hope this helps sorry a little blurry let me know if you would like a better picture I'll get out my camera instead of my phone

 

It almost looks like the "circuit" board has shifted backwards towards the rear tower. In the middle of the engine there is a groove cut in it above the motor. that groove is not on the rear tower and will not allow for room.

 

I thank you for the pictures. You're right, the pictures are not too sharp and I need to see the wires clearly. I can't make heads or tails of my wiring. A better picture might help. I can always send it to someone in the know who works on these things, but I hate to spend a lot for repairs. If possible a better picture might help.

Loren

 

Here ya go

 

Since the couplers are on the shell, it is quite possible. But, looking at the side-by-side, you can *clearly* see a *large* amount of truck-to-under frame clearance so something is amiss there.

If you can determine the proper bottom of the frame location, when the shell is on, measure the depth inside the shell and compare to dimension of the proper frame bottom to the top of the glue-bomb.

 

Jeff, my shell does sit too high. It's definitely all the extra wiring. Thanks for the picture DSZ...... I've just got to do some careful wire surgery.

 

I carefully 'undid' in a manner of speaking the wiring that Michael had done and redid it. It was actually a matter of removing all the coating that Michael had covered the wires with and removing some extra wire, (shortened some wires) and resoldered some wires. The shell was still somewhat high due to the fact that Michael's wiring project took up space that was not designed into the fit of the body originally. I had to grind carefully some of the inside to allow space for those extra wires.

That alteration did allow the body to sit lower, but truth be told the original design never allowed for extra wires to be on top of the body. The couplers are still a bit high, but I can now connect to rolling stock.

Now another problem has come to light. The loco runs very smoothly, but very loudly, almost competing with MTL's coffee grinder F7. No way to quiet it down I am afraid.

But that is only half the problem. I find that the loco is a terrible puller, due to what I believe is the non powered wheel set prevents the weight of the loco to rest on the powered wheels. I'm told to enlarge the non powered axle hole a bit to allow it to float somewhat and thus putting more weight on the drive wheels. My SD 40 sits in one place with the wheels spinning and it can't pull a dozen cars on the flat. Gotta be the floating wheel I think.

I have not examined the truck to see if removing the axle is fairly painless without opening a can of worms.

Any thoughts from the more experienced brass SD owners?